hondo in seattle Posted May 15, 2011 Share Posted May 15, 2011 I have a friend who's a retired Colonel and now does secret stuff for the govt. keeping the world safe for democracy. Since he's too busy to read the sports much, I emailed him a Bills update that I thought I'd share with you guys even though there are no great insights for those here: Buddy Nix was brought in to be the Bills GM last year and this year he finally revamped the personnel department. Amongst many changes, Tom Modrak was fired. Modrak was brought in by Tom Donahue 10 years ago to head up college scouting. Donahue didn't last long, but Modrak survived - until now - despite a dismal record of failure: Bill Polian/John Butler Golden Age 1983… Jim Kelly (Hall of Famer) 1984… Greg Bell (had Pro Bowl season with the Bills) 1985… Bruce Smith (Hall of Famer) 1986… Ronnie Harmon (had moderately productive 12 year career) 1987… Shane Conlan (Pro Bowler) 1988… Thurman Thomas (no 1st round pick; Thomas taken in 2nd round; Hall of Famer) 1989… Don Beebe (no 1st round pick; taken in 3rd round; productive starter) 1990… James Williams (productive starter) 1991… Henry Jones (Pro Bowler) 1992… John Fina (productive 11 year NFL career) 1993… Thomas Smith (productive 9 year NFL career) 1994… Jeff Burris (productive 10 year NFL career) 1995… Ruben Brown (8 consecutive Pro Bowls as a Bill) 1996… Eric Moulds (3 Pro Bowls as a Bill; one of the most talented receivers in Bills history) 1997… Antowain Smith (good but unspectacular NFL career) 1998… Sam Cowart (went to Pro Bowl as a Bill but then cut after an injury) 1999… Antoine Winfield (Pro Bowler) Tom Donahue/Tom Modrak Era of Misery 2001… Nate Clements (made one Pro Bowl as a Bill) 2002… Mike Williams (4th overall pick; monumental bust) 2003… Willis McGahee (decent starter; attitude and other issues; now a second-teamer with the Ravens) 2004… J.P. Losman (bust; not currently on a NFL roster) 2005… Roscoe Parish (no 1st round pick; taken in 2nd round; not a starter) 2006… John McCargo (huge bust; never earned a starting position) 2007… Marshawn Lynch (fair starter; off field problems; now a second-stringer with Seattle) 2008… Leodis McKelvin (has yet to earn a starting position) 2009… Aaron Maybin (huge bust; drafted as a sack specialist; has yet to record a NFL sack in 2 seasons; not even on the active roster many Sundays) 2010… C.J. Spiller (has yet to earn a starting position; this may be more a Buddy Nix pick) More than half of the Polian/Butler first picks became Pro Bowlers. Three have been inducted into the Hall of Fame. Nearly all became solid starters. Virtually none of the Donahue/Modrak 1st picks became Pro Bowlers. About half never even earned starting positions on crappy Bills squads. Three high 1st round picks were busts. The NFL players just voted the Top 100 players currently in the NFL. Not a single Bill made the Top 100. This year's draft got mixed grades from pundits. Some say it was great, maybe the best in the NFL. The Bills picked a lot of defensive players from big schools who have a high probability of success in the NFL. Some draft gurus gave the Bills only a fair or poor grade mostly because they didn't take a QB. QB is a funny position in the draft. About half of 1st round QBs are busts. Any other position is safer. 1st round linemen, for example, have a fairly high degree of NFL success. So do you waste an early pick on a QB when the probabilities are bad? On the other hand, most great teams have franchise QBs who they found in the draft (e.g. Brady, Manning, Rodgers). While Fitz wasn't a star last year, he was serviceable. Personally, I'm glad the Bills resisted the temptation to take a QB. There were bigger needs while none of the QBs in the draft were can't-miss types... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Taro T Posted May 15, 2011 Share Posted May 15, 2011 I have a friend who's a retired Colonel and now does secret stuff for the govt. keeping the world safe for democracy. Since he's too busy to read the sports much, I emailed him a Bills update that I thought I'd share with you guys even though there are no great insights for those here: Buddy Nix was brought in to be the Bills GM last year and this year he finally revamped the personnel department. Amongst many changes, Tom Modrak was fired. Modrak was brought in by Tom Donahue 10 years ago to head up college scouting. Donahue didn't last long, but Modrak survived - until now - despite a dismal record of failure: Bill Polian/John Butler Golden Age 1983… Jim Kelly (Hall of Famer) 1984… Greg Bell (had Pro Bowl season with the Bills) 1985… Bruce Smith (Hall of Famer) 1986… Ronnie Harmon (had moderately productive 12 year career) 1987… Shane Conlan (Pro Bowler) 1988… Thurman Thomas (no 1st round pick; Thomas taken in 2nd round; Hall of Famer) 1989… Don Beebe (no 1st round pick; taken in 3rd round; productive starter) 1990… James Williams (productive starter) 1991… Henry Jones (Pro Bowler) 1992… John Fina (productive 11 year NFL career) 1993… Thomas Smith (productive 9 year NFL career) 1994… Jeff Burris (productive 10 year NFL career) 1995… Ruben Brown (8 consecutive Pro Bowls as a Bill) 1996… Eric Moulds (3 Pro Bowls as a Bill; one of the most talented receivers in Bills history) 1997… Antowain Smith (good but unspectacular NFL career) 1998… Sam Cowart (went to Pro Bowl as a Bill but then cut after an injury) 1999… Antoine Winfield (Pro Bowler) Tom Donahue/Tom Modrak Era of Misery 2001… Nate Clements (made one Pro Bowl as a Bill) 2002… Mike Williams (4th overall pick; monumental bust) 2003… Willis McGahee (decent starter; attitude and other issues; now a second-teamer with the Ravens) 2004… J.P. Losman (bust; not currently on a NFL roster) 2005… Roscoe Parish (no 1st round pick; taken in 2nd round; not a starter) 2006… John McCargo (huge bust; never earned a starting position) 2007… Marshawn Lynch (fair starter; off field problems; now a second-stringer with Seattle) 2008… Leodis McKelvin (has yet to earn a starting position) 2009… Aaron Maybin (huge bust; drafted as a sack specialist; has yet to record a NFL sack in 2 seasons; not even on the active roster many Sundays) 2010… C.J. Spiller (has yet to earn a starting position; this may be more a Buddy Nix pick) More than half of the Polian/Butler first picks became Pro Bowlers. Three have been inducted into the Hall of Fame. Nearly all became solid starters. Virtually none of the Donahue/Modrak 1st picks became Pro Bowlers. About half never even earned starting positions on crappy Bills squads. Three high 1st round picks were busts. The NFL players just voted the Top 100 players currently in the NFL. Not a single Bill made the Top 100. This year's draft got mixed grades from pundits. Some say it was great, maybe the best in the NFL. The Bills picked a lot of defensive players from big schools who have a high probability of success in the NFL. Some draft gurus gave the Bills only a fair or poor grade mostly because they didn't take a QB. QB is a funny position in the draft. About half of 1st round QBs are busts. Any other position is safer. 1st round linemen, for example, have a fairly high degree of NFL success. So do you waste an early pick on a QB when the probabilities are bad? On the other hand, most great teams have franchise QBs who they found in the draft (e.g. Brady, Manning, Rodgers). While Fitz wasn't a star last year, he was serviceable. Personally, I'm glad the Bills resisted the temptation to take a QB. There were bigger needs while none of the QBs in the draft were can't-miss types... Uh, didn't Stew Barber draft Kelly and Pat McGroder draft Bell? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
djrocks Posted May 16, 2011 Share Posted May 16, 2011 I have a friend who's a retired Colonel and now does secret stuff for the govt. keeping the world safe for democracy. Since he's too busy to read the sports much, I emailed him a Bills update that I thought I'd share with you guys even though there are no great insights for those here: Buddy Nix was brought in to be the Bills GM last year and this year he finally revamped the personnel department. Amongst many changes, Tom Modrak was fired. Modrak was brought in by Tom Donahue 10 years ago to head up college scouting. Donahue didn't last long, but Modrak survived - until now - despite a dismal record of failure: Bill Polian/John Butler Golden Age 1983… Jim Kelly (Hall of Famer) 1984… Greg Bell (had Pro Bowl season with the Bills) 1985… Bruce Smith (Hall of Famer) 1986… Ronnie Harmon (had moderately productive 12 year career) 1987… Shane Conlan (Pro Bowler) 1988… Thurman Thomas (no 1st round pick; Thomas taken in 2nd round; Hall of Famer) 1989… Don Beebe (no 1st round pick; taken in 3rd round; productive starter) 1990… James Williams (productive starter) 1991… Henry Jones (Pro Bowler) 1992… John Fina (productive 11 year NFL career) 1993… Thomas Smith (productive 9 year NFL career) 1994… Jeff Burris (productive 10 year NFL career) 1995… Ruben Brown (8 consecutive Pro Bowls as a Bill) 1996… Eric Moulds (3 Pro Bowls as a Bill; one of the most talented receivers in Bills history) 1997… Antowain Smith (good but unspectacular NFL career) 1998… Sam Cowart (went to Pro Bowl as a Bill but then cut after an injury) 1999… Antoine Winfield (Pro Bowler) Tom Donahue/Tom Modrak Era of Misery 2001… Nate Clements (made one Pro Bowl as a Bill) 2002… Mike Williams (4th overall pick; monumental bust) 2003… Willis McGahee (decent starter; attitude and other issues; now a second-teamer with the Ravens) 2004… J.P. Losman (bust; not currently on a NFL roster) 2005… Roscoe Parish (no 1st round pick; taken in 2nd round; not a starter) 2006… John McCargo (huge bust; never earned a starting position) 2007… Marshawn Lynch (fair starter; off field problems; now a second-stringer with Seattle) 2008… Leodis McKelvin (has yet to earn a starting position) 2009… Aaron Maybin (huge bust; drafted as a sack specialist; has yet to record a NFL sack in 2 seasons; not even on the active roster many Sundays) 2010… C.J. Spiller (has yet to earn a starting position; this may be more a Buddy Nix pick) More than half of the Polian/Butler first picks became Pro Bowlers. Three have been inducted into the Hall of Fame. Nearly all became solid starters. Virtually none of the Donahue/Modrak 1st picks became Pro Bowlers. About half never even earned starting positions on crappy Bills squads. Three high 1st round picks were busts. The NFL players just voted the Top 100 players currently in the NFL. Not a single Bill made the Top 100. This year's draft got mixed grades from pundits. Some say it was great, maybe the best in the NFL. The Bills picked a lot of defensive players from big schools who have a high probability of success in the NFL. Some draft gurus gave the Bills only a fair or poor grade mostly because they didn't take a QB. QB is a funny position in the draft. About half of 1st round QBs are busts. Any other position is safer. 1st round linemen, for example, have a fairly high degree of NFL success. So do you waste an early pick on a QB when the probabilities are bad? On the other hand, most great teams have franchise QBs who they found in the draft (e.g. Brady, Manning, Rodgers). While Fitz wasn't a star last year, he was serviceable. Personally, I'm glad the Bills resisted the temptation to take a QB. There were bigger needs while none of the QBs in the draft were can't-miss types... mixed reviews? i would say 90% of the experts loved our draft i dont know where you got your info? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UpperDeck Posted May 16, 2011 Share Posted May 16, 2011 Who's Tom Donahue, Phil's brother? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
San Jose Bills Fan Posted May 16, 2011 Share Posted May 16, 2011 Uh, didn't Stew Barber draft Kelly and Pat McGroder draft Bell? Well yes, Hondo was off on that…but so are you. Terry Bledsoe was the GM who proceeded Bill Polian. mixed reviews? i would say 90% of the experts loved our draft i dont know where you got your info? There were mostly positive reviews in the immediate aftermath of the draft and then about one week later, there were subsequent analyses criticizing the Bills for not drafting a quarterback. I think Hondo was close enough with his "mixed reviews" comment. Mostly positive like you said, but with some negative grades too. Who's Tom Donahue, Phil's brother? Pretty solid take overall, Hondo…all sharpshooting aside. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Green Lightning Posted May 16, 2011 Share Posted May 16, 2011 Hondo, send me your updates and I won't have to spend so much time on this board! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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